Klaipėda port’s green course: international ferries will soon be able to switch off their engines while berthed
Port or Klaipėda continues to move along its green course. The port’s terminals have already received the new on-shore power supply systems, and installation is now underway. Testing is planned to begin later this year, and by next year ferries calling at the designated ro-ro terminals will be able to switch off their engines and draw clean electricity from shore -significantly reducing air pollution and noise. The OPS infrastructure being installed in the port is designed specifically for ro-ro vessels, with a total of four shore-power connection points to be set up for ferries.
“Klaipėda Port’s green vision is becoming reality – sustainability here is no longer just a promise. With shore-side electricity, ferries will be able to shut down their engines and reduce their environmental footprint to almost zero. And this is only the beginning. It’s more than a technological milestone – it’s our commitment to the city, its people, and a cleaner future for our sea,” says Algis Latakas, CEO of the Klaipėda State Seaport Authority.
This initiative marks a significant step in Klaipėda Port’s wider shift toward electrification. Earlier this autumn, the port installed its first on-shore power system at the Fleet Base, designed mainly to support the new hydrogen and electric-powered waste collection vessel now nearing completion. The systems now being put in place at the two terminals are specifically tailored for ferries and ro-ro vessels operating between Klaipėda and Denmark, Sweden, Germany and Poland, carrying rolling cargo. In the coming years, similar systems are planned for other terminals as well, enabling shore-side electricity for cruise ships and container vessels.
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Originally published on 10 Nov
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In recent years, Lithuania has been increasingly establishing itself as a creator of space technologies, and one of the country’s brightest stars is Astrolight. With impressive innovation potential and global ambitions, the company has moved into developing laser communication technologies that could fundamentally change communication between Earth and space. These solutions are also opening new paths in the defense sector, where secure and uninterrupted communication is critically important.
Lithuania’s innovation ecosystem has long since crossed the boundaries of local projects, and support from the European Space Agency (ESA) is opening up more and more opportunities for Lithuanian companies to establish themselves in the international market. In total, Astrolight has already received around 1 million euros in funding from ESA.
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Originally published on 2 Apr
The most recent (spring 2025) “Payment Radar” published by Latvijas Banka suggests that the ratio between non-cash and cash payments in Latvia was 78% to 22% in February 2025. This represents the highest-ever share of non-cash payments.
Relative to the figures from February and August 2024, the share of non-cash payments has climbed by 1 percentage point (from 77% to 78%).
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Originally published on 31 Mar
H2 Cluster Finland, which has grown into a community of over 100 organisations, becomes an official association. The new association aims to make Finland the leading hydrogen economy in Europe while creating more than 100,000 new jobs. H2 Cluster Finland becomes an association. The cluster, which previously operated without a legal form, will be further strengthened in its ability to promote co-operation and support societal decision-making.
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Originally published on 31 Mar
Baltic Hub has reached another milestone in the implementation of the T3 project. For the first time, an ocean-going container ship – MSC Stacey – was handled at the new T3 quay. This impressive vessel, measuring 365.9 meters in length and with a capacity of 15,000 TEU, arrived in Gdansk on March 30 as part of an additional call, known as an “extra call.”
This event is of great importance both for Baltic Hub and the entire Pomeranian region. The commencement of test cargo handling at the T3 quay confirms that the project is progressing in the right direction and that full operational readiness is drawing closer. The new quay will enable the efficient handling of the world’s largest container ships, strengthening Gdansk’s position as a strategic port on the Baltic Sea.
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Originally published on 31 Mar
The CREWS project, which aims to strengthen disaster risk reduction through community engagement and cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region, has officially launched with a kick-off meeting in Hamburg-Altona on 27–28 March 2025.
CREWS – or Enhancing Capacities in Disaster Risk Reduction by Facilitating Public-Civil Cooperation – seeks to empower local communities by bridging the gap between formal authorities and civil society actors in disaster management.
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Originally published on 28 Mar
The City of Tallinn has submitted its application to become a Zero Waste Candidate City under the Mission Zero Academy (MiZA) certification scheme, makingi it the first Estonian city to join the programme.
The Zero Waste Cities programme is an initiative of Zero Waste Europe aimed at helping cities transition to zero waste systems. Through certification, cities gain a strong framework for turning ambition into concrete action. The process will help Tallinn refine its strategy, better engage residents, and accelerate the shift towards waste prevention practices and material reuse and recycling.
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Originally published on 27 Mar
NIB and Eskilstuna Biogas AB have signed a seven-year loan to co-finance the construction of a new biogas production plant in a facility near Eskilstuna, Sweden. The EUR 15 million loan is supported by the European Union under the InvestEU programme and is eligible under NIB’s InvestEU Framework Operation Green Mobility and Transport.
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Originally published on 26 Mar
Executives from Tyréns, one of Sweden’s largest design companies, and its Lithuanian branch have visited the Rail Baltica construction sites. The meeting with representatives of LTG Infra, the company implementing Rail Baltica in Lithuania, have discussed the ongoing and planned works. LTG Infra is currently focusing on securing design capacity and invites both Lithuanian and international design companies to work in Lithuania and contribute to the Rail Baltica project. According to Vytis Žalimas, CEO of LTG Infra, one of the biggest challenges for Rail Baltica now is to secure design resources for the planning of future high-speed railway sections.
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Originally published on 25 Mar
Lithuanian researchers from Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) and the Lithuanian Energy Institute (LEI) have developed a groundbreaking hydrogen production technology that transforms waste into valuable, clean hydrogen fuel. This new method not only boosts hydrogen extraction efficiency but also addresses the persistent issue of tar formation in the gasification process. By offering a more sustainable energy solution, the technology holds significant promise for reducing industry’s reliance on fossil fuels and fostering a cleaner energy future.
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Originally published on 24 Mar
Boldyn Networks (Boldyn) and Ascom have joined forces to enhance digitalisation at Oulu University Hospital (OYS) by boosting 300 Ascom Myco 4 devices for the use of hospital staff, enabled by Boldyn’s private 5G Standalone(SA) network. This is part of the Hola Oulu project where consortium members Pohde, Oulu University Hospital (OYS), University of Oulu, and WICOAR Technologies Oy are revolutionising patient care by implementing advanced, secure, high-capacity connectivity within the hospital environment.
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Originally published on 24 Mar